This invention relates to explosives and in particular to an explosive kit for use in humanitarian demining operations and explosive ordnance disposal of unexploded ordnance, such as rocket propelled grenades and mortar rounds. In another aspect, this invention relates to a method of explosive neutralization of land mines and other unexploded ordnance.
It has been estimated that there are over 110 million land-mines world-wide, causing thousands of casualties each month. Given the extent of the problem, a simple and cost-effective method of neutralizing land mines and other unexploded ordnance is urgently needed. For many operations, conventional explosives such as commercial explosives (dynamites and equivalent explosives such as slurries or emulsions); or military explosives such as Trinitrotoluene (TNT) and plastic explosives such as Composition C-4, are used to destroy land mines and unexploded ordnance. These explosives all suffer from a logistics drawback due to the increased costs associated with the transportation and storage of hazardous explosives.
Explosives which are relatively safe to handle, and which must be sensitized prior to detonation, have been described in the prior art. The use of glass bubbles (microspheres) to sensitize aliphatic nitroparaffins is well known. Eckels, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,392, issued in 1974, outlined a method for the reversible sensitization of nitromethane through the use of microspheres. Chandler, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,933 issued in 1975, taught the use of microspheres using an open celled polymeric foam containing about 15 to 85 percent by weight of the spheres. Subsequently, U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,921 issued in 1976, also by Chandler, teaches the use of an open-celled polymeric foam to sensitize nitromethane to detonation by a blasting cap. Hurst, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,119 issued in 1975, teaches the use of a container with chambers allowing passage of the liquid but not solid, where the solids can include solid oxide, microspheres and expanded silica. The liquid comprises nitroparaffins such as nitromethane. Forsythe, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,562 issued in 1978, teaches the use of microspheres adhered to the side of a container to sensitize nitromethane to a number 6 blasting cap. Kass, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,576 issued in 1988, teaches the use of layers of foam material with interstitial layers of microspheres to provide an energy transmittal device capable of detonating liquid nitromethane.
However, the prior art suffers from the disadvantage that it can be relatively time-consuming to assemble and measure the necessary ingredients and prepare the explosive combination at the locus of use. In addition, the explosive systems disclosed in the prior art can be relatively expensive to produce and transport.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved kit for humanitarian demining operations and explosive ordnance disposal which can be simply made using inexpensive materials.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved kit for humanitarian demining operations and explosive ordnance disposal which can be inexpensively stored and shipped as a low risk flammable liquid and inert substance, which can be combined quickly and easily at the locus of use to provide a powerful explosive.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive method for explosive neutralization of land mines and unexploded ordnance.
The above objects are achieved by providing a kit for humanitarian demining operations and explosive ordnance disposal comprising a first sealed container having an opening means; a premeasured amount of flammable nitroparaffin contained in said first sealed container; a second sealed container having a resealing means; a sensitizing means contained in said second sealed container which sensitizes the nitroparaffin to detonation using an initiation system; said second sealed container having a volume sufficient to contain both said sensitizing means and said premeasured amount of flammable nitroparaffin. In another aspect said kit also includes an initiation system.
Conveniently, said first sealed container is a commercially available or custom manufactured plastic bottle and said opening means is a screw top cap. In one aspect, said flammable nitroparaffin is selected from a group consisting of nitromethane, nitroethane, 1-nitropropane, 2-nitropropane, and mixtures thereof.
In one embodiment, said second sealed container is a re-sealable plastic bag selected from a group consisting of commercially available or custom manufactured re-sealable sandwich bags and re-sealable freezer bags. In another embodiment, said second sealed container is a commercially available plastic or custom manufactured container and said resealing means is an attachable lid or screw-top cap.
Conveniently, said pre-measured amount of flammable nitroparaffin is substantially 200 g or 400 g.
In one embodiment, said sensitizing means consists of an open-celled polymeric sponge or foam having a density of 1 to 32 kg/m3. In another embodiment, said sensitizing means consists of a powdered solids blend of fumed silica and microspheres. While the applicant does not wish to be held to any one theory, it is believed that the sensitizing means described above beneficiates the explosion by providing localized density discontinuities, adiabatic reaction sites or xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d to the flammable nitroparaffin.
Conveniently, said initiation system comprises an electrical, safety fuse or shock tube fired blasting cap of minimum #12 strength, or a detonating cord, or a combination thereof.
The present invention further provides a method of exploding land mines and unexploded ordnance which comprises;
providing a kit having a first sealed container having an opening means; a pre-measured amount of flammable nitroparaffin contained in said first sealed container; a second sealed container having a resealing means; a sensitizing means contained in said second sealed container which sensitizes the nitroparaffin to detonation using an initiation system; said second sealed container having a volume sufficient to contain both said sensitizing means and said pre-measured amount of flammable nitroparaffin; and an initiation system for detonating said flammable nitroparaffin; assembling said kit by transferring said flammable nitroparaffin from said first container into said second container;
resealing said second container;
affixing said initiation system to said second container;
placing said second container adjacent to a land mine or unexploded ordnance; and detonating said sensitized flammable nitroparaffin with said initiation system.
In another embodiment, this invention provides a kit for humanitarian demining operations and explosive ordnance disposal comprising:
a first container having an opening and closing means;
a pre-measured amount of a flammable nitroparaffin contained in said first container; a second container having an opening and closing means;
a pre-measured amount of a thickening agent for increasing the viscosity of said nitroparaffin contained in either of said first container or said second container,
a pre-measured amount of a sensitizing means contained in said second container for sensitizing said nitroparaffin to detonation by an initiation system;
wherein the proportion of said thickening agent and said sensitizing means relative to said flammable nitroparaffin is sufficient to sensitize said nitroparaffin to detonation by an initiation system;
said second container having a volume sufficient to contain said flammable nitroparaffin, said thickening agent, and said sensitizing means.
Conveniently, the first and second container is a plastic bottle and the opening and closing means is a screw top cap. In one embodiment, the screw top cap of the second container has a means for connecting to an initiation system, such as a small hole adapted to receive a blasting cap or detonating cord.
Conveniently, the flammable nitroparaffin is selected from the group consisting of nitromethane, nitroethane, 1-nitropropane, 2-nitropropane, and mixtures thereof; the thickening agent is fumed silica; and the sensitizing means is selected from the group consisting of microspheres and finely powdered aluminum. In one embodiment, the first and second container each further contains a different coloured pigment.
In one variation, the flammable nitroparaffin is nitroethane;
the thickening agent is fumed silica; and
the sensitizing agent is microspheres; and
the relative proportions of nitroparaffin, thickening agent, and sensitizing agent are substantially 78 to 88 percent by weight of nitroparaffin, 0.5 to 5 percent by weight of thickening agent, and 10 to 15 percent by weight of sensitizing agent.
In another variation the flammable nitroparaffin is nitromethane;
the thickening agent is fumed silica; and
the sensitizing agent is microspheres; and
the relative proportions of nitroparaffin, thickening agent, and sensitizing agent are substantially 86 to 97.5 percent by weight of nitroparaffin, 0.5 to 15 percent by weight of thickening agent, and 0.5 to 5 percent by weight of sensitizing agent.
This invention further provides a method of exploding land mines and unexploded ordnance which comprises providing a kit having:
a first container having an opening and closing means;
a pre-measured amount of a flammable nitroparaffin contained in said first container;
a second container having an opening and closing means;
a pre-measured amount of a thickening agent for increasing the viscosity of said nitroparaffin contained in either of said first container or said second container,
a pre-measured amount of a sensitizing means contained in said second container for sensitizing said nitroparaffin to detonation by an initiation system; wherein the proportion of said thickening agent and said sensitizing means relative to said flammable nitroparaffin is sufficient to sensitize said nitroparaffin to detonation by an initiation system; and wherein said second container has a volume sufficient to contain said flammable nitroparaffin, said thickening agent, and said sensitizing means;
and an initiation system for detonating said flammable nitroparaffin;
assembling said kit by shaking said first container and said second container;
transferring said flammable nitroparaffin from said first container into said second container;
closing said second container;
mixing the contents of said second container; and
affixing said initiation system to said second container;
placing said assembled kit adjacent a land mine or unexploded ordnance, and detonating said flammable nitroparaffin with said initiation system.
An advantage of this invention is that the kit can be made simply and inexpensively using commercially available or custom manufactured materials. A further advantage is that the kit can be inexpensively stored and shipped as a low risk flammable liquid, and inert substance, and combined at the locus of use to provide a powerful explosive. For example, in North America the kit can be stored and shipped as a Class 3 Flammable Liquid and combined at the locus of use to create a Class 1 Explosive. The kit can be assembled quickly and easily by pouring the flammable nitroparaffin from the first container into the second container, resealing the second container, attaching the initiation system to the second container and placing the assembled kit adjacent to the land mine or unexploded ordnance. Given the simplicity of this method, it is relatively easy to train indigenous personnel in its use.